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On 16 January 2015 late in the evening the website of the Ministry of Justice published a statement that the NGO Committee Against Torture had been added to the register of non-profit organizations designated as ‘foreign agents’.

Tanya Lokshina is the Russia program director at Human Rights Watch and Honorary Participant of International Youth Human Rights Movement:
As the crisis in Ukraine escalated this spring, the Kremlin’s vicious crackdown on civil society also escalated. Space for independent civic activity in Russia is shrinking dramatically, but international policymakers and the media have been understandably too distracted to do much about it.
Since early spring, it seems as though every week brings a new pernicious law or legislative proposal.

Earlier this year, the correspondent of Youth Human Rights Movement from Germany Jakob Stürmann interviewed Konstantin Baranov, member of the Coordination Council of the International Youth Human Rights Movement. They discussed so called “law against homosexual propaganda” and the overall situation of LGBT in Russia.

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Oleg Sentsov, Olexander Kolchenko, Hennadiy Afanasiev and Oleksiy Chyrniy have been held in Russian jails for two years already under fabricated charges of ‘terrorism’. We consider it being necessary to express solidarity with those who are persecuted due to their pro-Ukrainian views, civic stand and desire for freedom in Russia-annexed Crimea.

Helsinki Committee of Armenia has published “Human Rights in Armenia 2014” Annual Report. The report reflects on the Right to Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association, Torture, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, Political Persecutions, Freedom of Conscience and Religion, The Rights of the Child, Protection of Labor Rights.

«We have a few questions for you,» a border guard told Sinaver Kadyrov, a Crimean Tatar activist, at the Armyansk checkpoint in northern Crimea on Jan. 23. Kadyrov was on his way to Kherson, in southern Ukraine, to fly to Turkey for medical treatment. It was the beginning of an ordeal that ended with a local court expelling him from Crimea, his home of almost 25 years.

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Ill-treatment/ Risk of impunity

18.06.2008

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Azerbaijan.

Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source and Antenna International, member organisation of OMCT SOS-Torture network, that Mr. Emin Huseynov, director of the Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety (IRFS), was subjected to severe beatings during his detention on 14 June 2008 in Baku.

According to the information received, on 14 June 2008 at around 01:00pm, Mr. Emin Huseynov was participating, along with other members of the Ernesto Che Guevara fan club including researchers at IRFS, Mr. Rasim Aliyev and Mr. Mirrehim Hasanov, in a peaceful celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Cuban revolutionist Ernesto Che Guevara, taking place at a café, when police raided the event. Approximately 20 individuals, including Mr. Emin Huseynov, Mr. Rasim Aliyev and Mr. Mirrehim Hasanov, were arrested and allegedly beaten by the police, reportedly headed by two individuals in plainclothes, and then taken to the Nasimi District Police Department n°22, Baku district. No reasons were reportedly given for the arrest, except that those arrested did not have any IDs with them.

At the District Police Department, police reportedly started photographing and fingerprinting the arrested individuals, without giving any explanation. When Mr. Emin Huseynov protested, he was reportedly taken into the office of Chief Deputy of Police Department, Major Azer Kerim-Zade, and allegedly severely beaten. He reportedly lost consciousness once brought out of the room. While the others arrested individuals urged to call an ambulance, the police reportedly ignored the request. Mr. Emin Huseynov was only provided with medical assistance after the police released him at around 4:45pm. He was then brought by his colleagues to the hospital where he is currently still hospitalised. According to the doctors, he sustained head and brain trauma.

All the other arrested individuals, including Mr. Rasim Aliyev and Mr. Mirrehim Hasanov, were reportedly released around 08:00pm on the same day.

The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its deep concern about the arbitrary arrest and severe beatings of Mr. Emin Huseynov, as well as of the arbitrary arrest of the other individuals. OMCT calls on the authorities to order a thorough, independent and impartial investigation into this event in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law. Furthermore, OMCT recalls that Azerbaijan is a State party to the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which both prohibit cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. OMCT also recalls to Azerbaijan that according to article 9 1) of the ICCPR "no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention".

Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Azerbaijan urging them to:
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Emin Huseynov, Mr. Rasim Aliyev and Mr. Mirrehim Hasanov;
ii. Order a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into this event in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iii. Guarantee adequate reparation to the victims;
iv. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.